Monday, January 24, 2011

PESTA SUKAN KEWANGAN 2011

This year, the Royal Customs of Malaysia shall be the host of the FINANCE SPORTS. Chess will be among the games to be competed between the 8 agencies under the Ministry of finance. I am not yet informed about the exact date or venue, but the Customs chess players shall be following a special course which includes the centralized training in our AKADEMI KASTAM MALAYSIA (AKMAL) in Malacca for aboout 2 to 3 weeks. Our preparation shall be based on all the databases of chess gathered from the previous Chess competition, mainly the FINANCE SPORTS (Chess) itself.

The buletin for the previous tournament (2010) is still available for sale at RM25.00 and the coaches shall have a clear guideline for "how to begin the training" or shall I rephrase "What is the guidelinebasis for our team's preparation"

Also available is the reprinted edition of SUKAN KEWANGAN 2002 (hosted by Customs) and 2003 (hosted by KWSP) at RM 10.00 each editions.

The preparation based on previous games database is the standard weapon in modern chess which is very essential and effective in order to upgrade the quality of a player's game while at the same time, increases the chances to net the valuable point.

Except.. you want to play the crude systems such as...

(picture above taken from the googling the net for illustrative purpose)

... THE ORANG UTAN OPENING!!

Well, in that case, you are on your own world... in your on jungle... of theories

"GETTING THE ADVANTAGE FROM THE OPENINGS MISTAKES"I had just published 2 new edition of mini chess buletins consist of about 124 openings traps / mistakes.Vol 1 is for openings classified under the Encylopaedia Chess Openings (ECO) A00 until B99 and vol 2 is from C02 until E87. (Total : 124 opening traps / mistakes) The price for each volume is only RM6.00. Those who wish to purchase both volumes will be given RM 10.00 as the discounted price.

Ideal for beginners and coaches who wants their students not to get mated from their opponents as early as move 2!!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

SLAYING THE DRAGON

I spent last Saturday exclusively preparing for the final round against the Passion and Glory team. Their known players were Nik Ahmad Farouqi, Abdullah Che Hassan, Najib and Hanafi. Nobody from our side had expected that, they would import the additional super stars consist of Nicholas Chan, Ian Udani and the rising star from my former University during my degree's years, Fadzil Nayan of UIAM. I was given task to handle the white pieces. Against Nik Ahmad Farouqi, I had to prepare meeting his pet defence systems, Sicilian O'Kelly. I had also looked into his rare, Sicilian Paulsen but I had no time to investigate the modern defence which he had played in 2 games (according to my personal database collection). Against Abdullah Che Hassan, the prediction is much more straight forward as during pass few years, he had devoted himself as a Sicilian dragon player. However, the specific variation had been changing a few times. But I managed to pick the latest variation he played in the recent National closed (2009 or 2010). Against Najib, I had met him across the board once and he played the Sicilian dragon with the Soltis block formation. Therefore, the preparation against Abdullah Che Hassan is quite relevant against him. Against Hanafi I know nothing about his game.

Arriving at the hall, as our team discovered, we simply needed only 2 points to become the champion. When sitting down, I found out that, it is Abdullah Che Hassan who sits in front of me, and my preparation should be very useful, unless he deviates from his usual defence system. While others of my friends, Samsol Bahrin against Fadil Nayan, may be ubpredictable, Aziz Shukor and Nicholas Chan should favour Nicholas Chan, Kamalarifin and Ian Udani should be a closed fight.

At the end I managed to utilise fully my preparation and net down the only point for NUSA MAHKOTA. When I finished, I was told that Aziz and Samsol had succumbed to their respective opponents earlier and I had the chance to watch Kamalarifin vs Ian Udani in action during their mutual severe time trouble which ended in favour of the Filipino.

Kamalarifin tried to play only for a win as a draw or a lose may not change the result of teams' placing. This is because the point I had netted secured us the 2nd place (otherwise, the Pass Pawn team would had catch us after slaughtering the 17 chess club 3-1) For another perspective, please see Hairulov's blog here

As being requested by some players, I should publish the only point NUSA MAHKOTA got in the final round. Even the great Mok Tze Meng complimented , "Why not? Give the readers some entertainment reading and it contains some brilliant points!".

(9... Nd7 {A week before this game, Fairin opted for this specific sideline and managed to defeat me during the 17 chess club rapid tournament})

10. O-O-O Ne5 11. Bb3 Qa5 12. h4
(12. Bh6 {I had also considered this during the game, just like my latest encounter against Hanif Arkurni (see my blog under the label 'Hanif')})

12... Rfc8 13. Kb1!
{It is hard to see the point behind this high quality waiting move until you actually play it and feelit!} (13. h5 {is also a promising continuation, but according to my personal database, Abdullah Che Hassan has experienced this move before and I suppose, he must had studied it.})

13... Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc415. Nb3
{One of the local's dragon expert, Saprin Sabri, had once told me(during 2002 KUiTTHO tornament, that once white had planted a knight on b3, its very difficult to breach's white's king's sanctuary}

15...Qc7 16. Bd4 Be6 17. h5 a5 18. a4
{These are all theories. However, the most important fact is that, this was played by Abdullah Che Hassan himself in National Closed 2010 (or 2009)}

18...Rb4
(18... Qc6 {was played by Abdullah Che Hassan in the aforementioned encounter.})

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

The full result of every and each players in every and each teams according to the ranking

The front cover of the buletin - Binding format: same as MAKSAK 2010 (gum binding) as neat and as good as a real book

Full result of each and every encounters between the teams in every rounds

Of course, the complete 168 games (based on what was written in the scoresheets) diagrams on the crucial part of the games, with and without annotations.Among the notable chess stars are Aziz Jaafar, Abang Mohd Reduan, NWM Nurulhuda Wahiduddin, Wan Ismail Wan Yusoff, Lau Kah Heng, Tunku Azlan, Che Rahim, Nordin Md Yamin, Ahmad Hamzah and many others.